80/20 5K Training Week 2: Improvements, a Great Race & a Ghost

What a great week! I never thought I’d see improvement in just one week of doing mostly low intensity running, but that seems to be what happened. This past week before Sunday’s race…

It was much easier to stay in my easy heart rate zones (1 and 2). Only once or twice did I go over, and when I did it was much easier to bring my heart rate back down.

I never had to walk to keep my heart rate down aside from the race, but that’s a different beast.

I didn’t have to constantly monitor my Garmin to keep to my easy zones. I only checked in occasionally.

I did great with matching perceived effort to my heart rate. When I thought I was going a little too fast, I checked my Garmin and was always correct. If nothing else, this training has already taught me to know my pace and effort better without the Garmin.

My pace increased 30 seconds/mile to as much as 1 minute/mile within my easy heart rate zones compared to last week!

The week ended with a fun weekend in DC for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. I got to meet Courtney, Chaitali, and Joanna’s friend Amber (Joanna and Amber were also there for the race), ate amazing food, saw key landmarks and cool neighborhoods, and overall had a really fun time. As for the race itself, I was worried that my slower easy pace per heart rate training would be too slow to make the strict time cut-off for the 10 mile race and debated whether to drop down to the 5K. My friends Jamie and Anna came up with a good plan for me, and Courtney gave me a much-needed and appreciated pep talk (about the race plus overall, which was so helpful), so I decided to do the 10 miler. I’m so happy I did! It was a really great race and positive experience that was just the kind of nourishment for my running soul that I needed. I’ll post a recap later this week.

Leading up to the race, I ran all easy runs in my low heart rate zones (1 and 2) so I could do some higher-intensity miles during the race.

My 80/20 ratio was off this week because of the race. I was unable to keep my heart rate in my easy zones for the race because I was trying to slow down at the end, after my heart rate had been high. Getting my heart rate down once it’s up seems impossible. If I go by heart rate data, only 55% of my runs were at an easy pace. But if I go by perceived effort, when I was going very slowly during the race but my heart rate wasn’t showing it, 75% of my runs were at low intensity. I think perceived effort during the race is the more accurate measure.

Week at a Glance

Training mode: Training for a May 20 5K

Days running: 5

Miles this week: 21.39

Ratio of low intensity to moderate/high intensity: 75/25

Miles in March: 49.18

Miles this year: 276.59

Strength training: 30 minutes

Monday

Easy Run: 40 minutes

Tuesday

Easy Run: 40 minutes

Strength Training: 30 minutes

I was busy during the week getting ready for the weekend so only had time to do one strength training session.

Wednesday

Easy Run: 40 minutes

Pace was a full minute/mile faster than the previous week’s easy runs.

Thursday

Easy Run: 35 minutes

Friday and Saturday

These were both rest days. Friday we left early to drive to DC, and Saturday was a rest day before the race.

Sunday

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler: 10.23 miles in 2:04:49

Running through the cherry blossoms in Haines Point was my favorite part of the race.

I’ll post a recap later this week. After the race, Jamie, Anna, Anna’s husband, and I went to brunch, and then we started the drive back later in the afternoon. It was a long drive back. I got home around 6. Then something really odd happened. My Garmin had been in my bag the whole day. I never took it out of my bag, and my bag was sitting in my house. But at 6:16 p.m., the time I was eating dinner, my Garmin came on and, over the next 6 hours and 19 minutes, went 3.66 miles around my house and street. Here’s the graphic showing the route my Garmin took:

Below are the stats my Garmin recorded for this mystery run. The pace matches the time, but note that there is a max pace shown, with a 4:06 pace as the fastest. And there’s heart rate data for the first mile. What the heck?!?! My Garmin was turned off and in my bag the whole time! I noticed all this when I plugged my Garmin into my computer to upload my data, and my Garmin was dead (which never happens.) I can only conclude that a ghost took it out of my bag and had fun with it all night. Because even if I had accidentally turned it on, how could it record 3.66 miles just sitting in my bag? Is there another explanation? (Note that I did not include this ghost run in my weekly total!)

I’m linking up with Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap, Steff, for the Pittsburgh Run Bloggers Weekly Recap, and Courtney for her Training Recap. Have a great week!

I am SO HAPPY that you had a good race. I truly think that you just needed to get your mojo back. It was SO good to finally meet. I felt like I could’ve talked with you all day, lol. I hope you do come back to do CB next year. It really is a fun race and I’m happy we had good weather. Also – I truly believe everything I said on Saturday. xxcourtney @ eat pray run dc recently posted…Maintenance Training Recap, Week 1

4:06 pace! That’s a fast ghost! So glad you had a great race, and so glad you did the 10 mile. I’ve never done it, but from what I’ve heard, it’s one of the best races in the country. I went to college in DC and have always loved cherry blossom time — Hains Point looks very different in late October if you ever do Marine Corps (a marathon I would recommend).Carina recently posted…Useless list

That is SO weird that your Garmin went on a mystery run! I guess its one of those things that just cant be explained. Glad you had a great week, and the 10 miler looks like it was so fun!Lisa @ Mile by Mile recently posted…Sore Legs and Cautious Optimism

That ghost run really freaks me out. I’m a big believer in the paranormal so I want to know why that happened lol! You have a very active ghost in your area. I’m so happy that you had a great experience at the race and decided on the 10 miles! I can’t wait to read your recap.Gretchen recently posted…Gettysburg Marathon Training : Much Better

Really interesting about the training and how it’s already getting easier! I’m really thinking about looking into this method more and getting the book. I’m glad you had a good time at the race 🙂 I’m looking forward to being able to run it next year. And so weird about the Garmin and how it even had heart rate information for the first mile!Chaitali recently posted…Weekly Review

You raise SUCH a good point about perceived effort vs. heart-rate. When it starts getting hotter and more humid out, like now, slower paces feel SO much tougher and my heart-rate climbs way more easily. I think we have to make allowances for things like that!Ali @ Hit the Ground Running recently posted…A Privilege and an Honor

It sounds like you had a fabulous time at the Cherry Blossom race. I love that picture of the cherry trees along Haines Point. What is up with your Garmin? The map really freaks me out. Yes, it was possessed! My HR is higher right now than it’s ever been. I’m trying to figure out why. I don’t feel I’ve lost any fitness. Perhaps I need a new watch? Thanks for linking, Jennifer!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Notice: It seems you have Javascript disabled in your Browser. In order to submit a comment to this post, please write this code along with your comment: 474986e20d78cd706aa4fa8046f94415

Welcome

Running is no fun if you don't look cute doing it! In this blog I share my passion for running and activewear. I'm chronicling my ever-evolving journey as a runner. I also post activewear reviews, healthy plant-based recipes, and pictures of my greyhound and kitties. Read more about me. Thanks for visiting!